In the oil and gas industry, liquid build-up in producing wells is a problem that increasingly impacts the industry in terms of reduced gas rates and ultimate recovery. For example, when natural gas flows to the surface in a producing gas well, the gas carries liquids to the surface if the velocity of the gas is high enough. A high gas velocity results in a mist flow pattern in which fluids are finely dispersed in the gas. As the gas velocity in the production tubing drops with time, the velocity of the liquids carried by the gas declines even faster. Flow patterns of fluids on the walls of the conduit cause fluid to accumulate in the bottom of the well, which can either slow or stop gas production altogether.
With high bottomhole pressure, the gas has considerable velocity and consequently sufficient ability to move fluid up a wellbore without assistance. As pressures decrease, this ability lessens and the well requires deliquification or dewatering techniques or systems which apply energy to remove the interfering fluid to enhance gas production.
Several prior art systems and techniques exist for deliquifying or dewatering including for example, pump-off control, evaporation, wellhead pressure reduction, surfactant injection, stroking pumps, progressing cavity pumps, electrical submersibles, gas-lifts, jet pumps, velocity and siphon strings, ejectors, vortex tools, plunger lifts, and capillary string injecting foamers. However, such systems and techniques include complex, downhole moving parts which require removal for repair or maintenance; lack sufficient durability to withstand downhole conditions; are difficult to transport, install and operate; or are expensive to produce. The trend towards deeper and tighter gas wells requires less bulky, more compact and simpler systems. In lower rate gas wells, cost effective systems or techniques are required because of the limited incremental production capacity. What is needed is an improved apparatus and method for deliquifying a well which mitigates these disadvantages of the prior art.